December 15, 2007

Few politicians evoked a sense of place, time, and duty better than Bill Clinton on the stump in 1992. "I still believe in a place called Hope" was a rallying cry for his Arkansas populism.

Now, in the Mike Huckabee campaign, we have another insurgent from Hope--this one an evangelical conservative. But, I don't detect any sense of place. I can't remember any time Huckabee mentioned his roots at all. Maybe he is just avoiding the Clinton connection, maybe it's just not a concern for him.

I think Clinton has defined his Arkansas boyhood so well on the presidential stage, it is tough to cut another campaign message featuring the tiny town. But it would be interesting to see Huckabee try.